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National University Hospital

Coordinates: 1°17′42.3″N 103°46′58.2″E / 1.295083°N 103.782833°E / 1.295083; 103.782833
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1°17′42.3″N 103°46′58.2″E / 1.295083°N 103.782833°E / 1.295083; 103.782833

National University Hospital

The National University Hospital (Abbreviation: NUH; Chinese: 国立大学医院; Malay: Hospital Universiti Nasional Singapura), established in 1985, is Singapore's only university hospital. It serves as a tertiary hospital as well as a clinical training centre and a research centre for the medical and dental faculties of the National University of Singapore (NUS). The hospital has many of the world's, the region's and Singapore's firsts to its credit. It is a specialist hospital that provides advanced, leading-edge medical care.

NUH is a major referral centre that delivers tertiary care for a wide range of medical specialties including Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Infectious Diseases, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Nephrology, Neurology, Paediatrics, Respiratory, Rheumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery.

Services and Facilities

2 National Centres and 5 Clusters

  • National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS)[1]
 * Cardiac Department  
 * Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
  • National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS)[2]
 * Department of Haemotology-Oncology  
 * Department of Radiation Oncology
  • University Medicine Cluster
  * Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Digestive Health) [3]
  * Division of Endocrinology
  * Division of General Medicine
  * Division of Infectious Diseases
  * Division of Nephrology   
  * Division of Neurology
  * Division of Respiratory Medicine
  * Division of Rheumatology 
  * Division of Family Medicine
  * Division of Psychological Medicine
  • University Surgical Cluster
  * Department of Urology 
  * Department of General Surgery  
  * Department of Colorectal Surgery  
  * Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery
  * Division of Neurosurgery
  * Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • University Orthopaedics, Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Cluster
  * Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Department
  * Adult Reconstructive Surgery Division 
  * Spine Division
  * Paediatrics Orthopaedics Division
  * Sports Division
  * Orthopaedics Trauma Division
  • University Children's Medical Institute [4]
  * Paediatrics Medicine 
  * Paediatric Surgery [5]
  * Neonatology
  • University Dental Cluster
  * Department of Preventive Dentistry 
  * Department of Restorative Dentistry 
  * Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Emergency Medicine Department [6]
  • Anaesthesia Department [7]
  • Diagnostic Imaging Department [8]
  • Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery Department [9]
  • Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department [10]
  • Opthalmology Department [11]
  • Pathology Department
  • Laboratory Medicine Department [12]

Inpatient Facilities

  • 881 beds (range from 8-bedder rooms to deluxe suites)
  • 38 wards
  • 6 intensive care units
  • 15 major operating theatres
  • 8 day surgery operating theatres
  • 1 delivery suite with 8 delivery rooms and a 4-bed first stage room

Outpatient Facilities

  • 32 specialist outpatient clinics/centres
    * University Digestive Centre
  • 14 specialised service centres
  • 4 specialist clinics/centres outside of NUH premises

Emergency Facilities

  • 1 Adult Emergency
  • 1 Children’s Emergency

History

NUH opened to the public and received its first patients on 24 June 1985. The hospital was officially opened on 17 June 1986 by Mr Goh Chok Tong, then First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. The hospital was designed by TRM & MSJ Architects in association with Singapore Associate Architects and Indeco Pte. Ltd., and was built by an autonomous government institute in order to serve as a general and teaching hospital. Prior to its opening, clinical training for the students of NUS were carried out at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where the university's medical school was located until it moved to the new NUS campus at Kent Ridge in 1986.

The hospital was originally owned by Temasek Holdings, a government investment holding company. It came under the Ministry of Health's Health Corporation of Singapore (HCS) in 1987. In 1990, the government decided to hand over the governance of the hospital to the National University of Singapore. This was in tune with the government's idea of making NUH the principal medical teaching institution of Singapore and a centre for medical excellence. In order to avoid duplication of expensive services, the government decided to make highly specialised units available at only two places; Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and NUH. All other hospitals were to house general speciality departments only. Since NUH was too large a financial operation to be transferred entirely at one go, the hospital first reverted back to Temasek Holdings before being transferred to NUS in phases.

The move also brought in expansion plans and the hospital added in a 200 bed, seven-storey tower ward block, eight operating theatres and intensive care units over an area of 3.2 ha at a cost of S$100 million. The designer of the new wing was Indeco Pte. Ltd. At the same time, a new fees scheme was introduced for senior doctors at the hospital in order to place more weight on teaching and research. Many areas of specialisation, sub-specialisation and facilities, such as the latest medical equipment, were introduced.

NUH was the first hospital in Singapore to be conferred the Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation in August 2004 and the Singapore Service Class award in July 2004.

It is also the first and only hospital in Singapore to receive a triple ISO certification:

  • ISO 9001 - 2000 (Quality Management System)
  • ISO 14001 - 1996 (Environmental Management System)
  • OHSAS 18001 - 1999 (Occupational Health & Safety Management System)

In August 2007, Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, announced plans to build two new national centres at NUH to meet the growing need for heart and cancer treatments. MOH cited NUH's substantive expertise and experience in these specialty areas for its decision to open the national centres for these two top killers at NUH. This development will further strengthen NUH's capabilities as a tertiary healthcare provider and advance its clinical care, research and teaching excellence as a leading university hospital.

The National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) announced its plans during a press conference on 2 December 2008. Incorporating the NUH’s current strengths in cardiology and cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, the NUHCS will build on existing clinical strengths and services to further enhance its care and treatment for patients. This will be done by scoping patient care and the delivery of clinical services into four systematic, holistic and phased programmes:

  • Heart failure programme: A model for disease management programme
  • Congenital heart disease programme: Span-of-life care
  • Acute coronary syndrome programme: timely help for heart attack patients
  • Vascular medicine and therapy: saving limbs and prolonging life

Plans on the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) will be announced in 2009.

In January 2008, NUH and the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Faculty of Dentistry came together to form the National University Health System. This will help meet the healthcare needs of today and tomorrow as it brings about synergy that will be achieved from the integration of education, research and clinical care.

To meet the increase and anticipated upward trend in healthcare demand, the infrastructure on the Kent Ridge campus will be developed to include extensive research and education facilities to be housed in the NUHS flagship Centre for Translational Medicine building, and two national centres for Cancer and Cardiovascular medicine at the NUH site.

Major Milestones

  • 1985 - NUH opened its doors to the public on 24 June with 180 employees. It treated 50 outpatients and 4 inpatients on its first day.
  • 1986 - First Asian hospital to successfully use frozen embryos. The Emergency Department was activated on a 24-hour basis. Official inauguration by Mr Goh Chok Tong, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.
  • 1989 - World's first baby conceived with MIST (Micro-Insemination Sperm Transfer) was born in NUH.
  • 1990 - Developed the first known software programme for colour vision testing in the world - fully automated Farnsworth 100 hue test.
  • 1991 - The world's first successful birth of twins using co-culture.
  • 1995 - First minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery in the region.
  • 1996 - Region's first birth of two sets of twins from frozen embryo donations. Kent Ridge Wing 2, NUH's new extension, opened its doors to the public on 9 Sep.
  • 1997 - The Liver Transplant Team performed Southeast Asia's first 'split liver' transplant. Cardiothoracic surgeons at NUH are the first in Asia to perform an open heart surgery on a 'beating heart'.
  • 2001 - NUH and SGH jointly performed the world's first successful cord blood transplant on a Thalassaemia Major patient.
  • 2002 - NUH doctors performed the first micro-incision vitreoretinal surgery in Southeast Asia.
  • 2005 - Asia's first bone marrow and kidney transplant were performed at NUH.
  • 2006 - First simultaneous bilateral cochlear implant on young patient in Singapore. NUH also performed the first hip resurfacing surgery in Singapore.
  • 2007 - First-in-man clinical trials - testing drugs on humans for the first time.

Building and Infrastructure

NUH is located at the foot of Kent Ridge. The Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) is close by with the nearest exit being Exit 8. There is a free shuttle bus service between Dover MRT Station (Passenger Pick-up Point opposite Singapore Polytechnic) and NUH that is provided approximately every 8 minutes.

Built in 1985, NUH's main building and service block are situated in a north-south orientation and conveniently linked by a service amd communications 'spine'. The designers separated the 'service tunnel' from the pedestrian levels, exploiting the sloping site to good use.

The blocks respond to the tropical climate with recessed windows, verendahs and concrete sun shades. Shady courtyards that act as reservoirs of cool air enhance cross-ventilation in the non air-conditioned interiors.

Kent Ridge Wing 2 was completed in 1996. It comprises an inpatient wing and also houses specialist outpatient clinics and service centres. The nine-storey tower block atop a podium gives a distinctive focus to providing a conducive environment for patients' recovery, amidst the lush greenery of the Kent Ridge. The metal and glass facade reflects the hospital's modern image and high standards in healthcare. The contemporary exterior also expresses NUH's other important role of teaching and training of medical students and postgraduate specialist doctors.

To meet the increase and anticipated upward trend in healthcare demand, NUH will be upgrading its facilities and expanding its infrastructure.

The initial stage will see the building of an Office Block (targeted completion by 2010) and an Ambulatory Block (targeted completion by 2012). The Office Block will free up space in both the Main Building and the Kent Ridge Wing for reconfiguration to provide additional facilities to better serve patients.

Located directly above the MRT station, the Ambulatory Centre will house specialist outpatient clinics, related ambulatory diagnostic and treatment facilities. The expansion will support NUH's upcoming cardiovascular and cancer centres' role in providing specialised acute care. When the MRT Circle Line is completed, NUH will be the only hospital in Singapore that has its own MRT station.

References

Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1996). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets & places (p. 321). Singapore, Kuala Lumpur: Times Books International. (Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW) Koh, J. T. (1991, May 3). World's first births from 'lab womb' achieved in S'pore. The Straits Times, p. 1. Loh, S. (1993, June 30). First in Asia; Pregnant without ovaries. The Straits Times, Life!, p. 1-2. New fees scheme introduced for senior doctors at NUH. (1990, May 3). The Straits Times, p. 23. NUS to govern university hospital. (1990, March 28). The Business Times, p. 2. Personal health data at your fingertips. (2000, July 6). The Straits Times, p. 33. Teo, A. (1990, April 3). NUH to be teaching hospital; changes will not affect staff, operations. The Business Times, p. 2. Toh, S. (1990, September 6). NUH scores a first with artificial womb pregnancy. The Straits Times, p. 1. Varsity to take over running of NUH. (1990, March 28). The Straits Times, p. 1. National University Hospital. (2003). About NUH. Retrieved October 8, 2003, from www.nuh.com.sg/aboutus.html

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